Strength in Unity.

Post by **Soapy** » 09 Mar 2023, 19:49

Five-star running back Jacob Wheeler 'feeling the love' from USF, intrigued by staff moves
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider

As soon as the recruiting dead period ended, USF showed up to Jacob Wheeler's doorstep with a contingent that included head coach Malcolm Francois Sr, newly hired offensive line coach and run game coordinator Ryan Williams and newly promoted running back coach Anthony Montgomery.

Wheeler, who will be deciding on National Signing Day between USF and Miami, says the decision will be a hard one.

"I'm definitely feeling the love from [USF]," Wheeler told 247 Sports, "I don't think I've spoken to a coach more than [Francois Sr.] and the new coaches, we definitely clicked up right away, especially coach Williams."

Miami is the Crystal Ball leader for Wheeler who says that head coach Ron English's retirement isn't going to have a major impact on his recruitment with his primary recruiter, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, still at Miami. Wheeler says that he feels like Miami has a clearer plan to use him in their offense as opposed to USF's offense which finished second to last in the Champions Division in rushing offense. Miami finished third, something that Holgorsen is quick to remind Wheeler.

About halfway through that in-home visit, Francois Sr. left Williams, Montgomery and Wheeler together to get to know each other and met up with defensive coordinator Trai Martinez, defensive line coach Taylor Fletcher and special teams coordinator Robert Holland at Brandon Smith's residence, the other top target left on the board.

Holland's brother, Terrance, was teammates with Brandon's father, Brian Sr, during their time at USF and remain close friends. Brian was a groomsmen at Terrance's wedding. Their plan seemed to work as Brandon described it as more of a family function than a recruiting visit.

"It's just different with [USF]," Smith is also deciding between USF and Miami, "It's not just football, it's like hanging out with my uncles or something. I met coach Fletcher when I was like six or seven, [Terrance and Robert Holland] are like my uncles and coach Francois, I've known him my entire life, literally so it's not even fair to compare them to Miami."

Smith's triplet brothers, Brian Sr. and Marcellus, are both committed already to Southern Miss and USF respectively with both of them already enrolled. Brandon was expected to early enroll as well but has instead chosen to push back his commitment day to the traditional signing period and won't be enrolling until the summer when he's expected to be clear for physical contact after undergoing two knee surgeries in four years.

Miami remains the favorite to land his signature.

2040 USF Recruiting Class
WR Carl Graham [ATH #1]: 6'3", 233lbs | Clifton, AZ | 5-star | 4.40 40-yd dash, 305 Bench Press Max, 220 Squat Max
HB Dominique Shelton [HB #2]: 6'0", 196lbs | South Sumter, SC | 5-star | 4.48 40-yd dash, 335 Bench Press Max, 345 Squat Max
WR Billy Matthews [WR #5]: 6'0", 183lbs | Sarasota Springs, FL | 5-star | 4.56 40-yd dash, 255 Bench Press Max, 290 Squat
IOL Jake Thompson [ATH #17]: 6'1", 275lbs | Kettering, OH | 5-star | 4.84 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 620 Squat Max
C Kyle Jones [C #1]: 6'1", 284lbs | Raleigh, NC | 5-star | 5.04 40-yd dash, 450 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
DE/TE Marcellus Smith [DE #2]: 6'6", 239lbs | Clearwater, FL | 4-star | 4.74 40-yd dash, 435 Bench Press Max, 475 Squat Max
QB Mark Cunningham [QB #1]: 6'3", 211lbs | Augusta, GA | 4-star | 4.66 40-yd dash, 400 Bench Press Max, 275 Squat Max
DT Nick Brown [DT #3]: 6'7", 283lbs | Groves, TX | 4-star | 5.08 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 595 Squat Max
CB Charlie Robinson [CB #1]: 6'4", 176lbs | Barberton, OH | 4-star | 4.40 40-yd dash, 240 Bench Press Max, 240 Squat Max
TE Taylor Smith [TE #8]: 6'3", 253lbs | Barnwell, SC [IMG] | 4-star | 4.64 40-yd dash, 325 Bench Press Max, 290 Squat Max
CB Akeem Smith [CB #5]: 5'9", 183lbs | Tallahassee, FL | 4-star | 4.46 40-yd dash, 240 Bench Press Max, 240 Squat Max
OLB Richard Smith [OLB #13]: 6'6", 235lbs | Miami, FL | 4-star | 4.54 40-yd dash, 430 Bench Press Max, 570 Squat Max
OLB James Scott [OLB #27]: 6'1", 208lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star | 4.64 40-yd dash, 410 Bench Press Max, 630 Squat Max
OLB Joey Franklin [OLB #29]: 6'4", 229lbs | Manning, SC | 3-star | 4.58 40-yd dash, 425 Bench Press Max, 525 Squat Max
DT Derek Simpson [DT #79]: 6'2", 286lbs | San Clemente, CA | 3-star | 4.86 40-yd dash, 460 Bench Press Max, 620 Squat Max
QB Brandon Riley [QB #76]: 5'11", 185lbs | Pinewood, FL (juco) | 3-star | 4.80 40-yd dash, 280 Bench Press Max, 300 Squat Max

2040 USF Recruiting Board
HB Jacob Wheeler [HB #1]: 5'10", 180lbs | Tampa, FL | 5-star | Miami, USF
DT Brandon Smith [DT #21]: 6'8", 360lbs | Clearwater, FL | 3-star | Miami, USF
-------
T Brian Smith Jr. [T #1]: 6'8", 345lbs | Clearwater, FL | 5-star | Committed to Southern Miss
S Mario Hawkins [S #1]: 6'2", 198lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Committed to Florida State
QB James White [QB #5]: 6'6", 218lbs | Bonita Spring, FL | 4-star | Committed to Texas State
G Kellen Banks [G #25]: 6'1", 298lbs | Gainesville, FL | 3-star | Committed to Air Force

Post by **Soapy** » 09 Mar 2023, 20:26

Sizing up the early enrollees as winter workouts are underway
Anthony Washington -- The Tampa Bay Chronicles

After a 7-6 season, USF is in desperate need of some reinforcements and talent infusion as they try to bounce back from arguably the worst season in Malcolm Francois Sr's tenure at USF.

Perhaps the only comparable year was back in 2030 when they still managed to win nine games but finished the season unranked after coming in with national title aspirations. The next season, offensive coordinator Calvin Magee was relieved of his duties, Francois Sr. took over as play caller and led the team to a 12-1 year, winning the program's fourth national title and ending the five-year draught, the longest gap between national titles since winning their first one in 2021.

The catalyst for the turnaround was a relatively unproven sophomore in Roger Shaw Jr. that would go on to win the Heisman but also a few true freshman that played important roles in receiver Max McDonald, tight end Matthew Smith, offensive tackle Cedric George and cornerback Damien Ford.

As National Signing Day approaches, USF currently holds the nation's top recruiting class with the bulk of that class currently enrolled in class and undergoing the winter workouts. Some projections and predictions for their maiden voyage:

WR Carl Graham [ATH #1]: 6'3", 233lbs | Clifton, AZ | 5-star
Projected Role: There's a lot to love about Graham with his size and experience having played at different positions in different offenses on different teams across different states. USF needs a big body on the outside to replace Maurice Bennett and while those are big shoes to fill, the path is there for Graham as Tracy Brooks didn't impress in the bowl game when he got the start.
Over/Under Prop: 35 receptions (over)

HB Dominique Shelton [HB #2]: 6'0", 196lbs | South Sumter, SC | 5-star
Projected Role: This can change if they land Jacob Wheeler but the Bulls need some wiggle in the backfield to help bolster that running attack and there's plenty of wiggle in Shelton's film, even more so in Wheeler's. So if Wheeler goes to Miami, Shelton could push for a starting role and find himself beating out veterans William Sapp and Eric Valentine by the end of the season and pushing Kellen Wright for carries.
Over/Under Prop: 4.5 yards per carry (under)

WR Billy Matthews [WR #5]: 6'0", 183lbs | Sarasota Springs, FL | 5-star
Projected Role: There's a lot of debate among the pundits on if Matthews is a legitimate five-star and when watching him in person, it's easy to walk away unimpressed with the physical attributes but he put up the numbers and production in high school. Joseph Moses is the top slot guy by far but neither Mike Thomas nor Brooks Coe did enough in 2039 to lock down that backup role in the slot so Matthews could compete there.
Over/Under Prop: 300 receiving yards (under)

IOL Jake Thompson [ATH #17]: 6'1", 275lbs | Kettering, OH | 5-star
Projected Role: Thompson needs at least two seasons of development before he's Champions Division ready, even as a five-star joining an offensive line that struggled.
Over/Under Prop: Redshirt (yes)

C Kyle Jones [C #1]: 6'1", 284lbs | Raleigh, NC | 5-star
Projected Role: While Thompson is likely headed towards a redshirt, Jones is a bit more ready and could compete with another talented young guy in Ray Anderson. The Bulls also lost guard Brandon Jones to the draft so the path is there for the younger Jones to crack the two deep.
Over/Under Prop: 3 starts (over)

DE/TE Marcellus Smith [DE #2]: 6'6", 239lbs | Clearwater, FL | 4-star
Projected Role: The first thing is going to be defining his position and then his role. Smith got more buzz as a defensive end because of his length and athleticism but those same freaky traits make him intriguing at tight end. If they land his brother, Brandon, it'd be a cool story to pair them on the defensive line so leaving him there, he could challenge Kareem Cunning and Ramon Hall for that defensive end spot vacated by David Richardson.
Over/Under Prop: 5 sacks (under)

QB Mark Cunningham [QB #1]: 6'3", 211lbs | Augusta, GA | 4-star
Projected Role: Perhaps the biggest wildcard of the bunch, Cunningham could come in, win the starting job and be on his way to being the next Jeff Jones. He could also lose it to Jet Millines, Jacob Venckus or even JUCO quarterback Brandon Riley who will be arriving in the summer and not be hard from again for the next two seasons. Cunningham is talented enough to beat out all of them so he'll get at least an appearance or two but likely is the backup by season's end.
Over/Under Prop: 300 passing yards (over)

DT Nick Brown [DT #3]: 6'7", 283lbs | Groves, TX | 4-star
Projected Role: A former glamor position for the Bulls, they haven't had an elite defensive tackle in a while and Brown could be just that. He'll have his work cut out for him with Jesse Berrong, Matt Langford and Brett Lawrence but he'll be given every opportunity to earn that starting spot and never look back
Over/Under Prop: 8 tackles for loss (under)

CB Charlie Robinson [CB #1]: 6'4", 176lbs | Barberton, OH | 4-star
Projected Role: With Julius Hughes declaring early, the door is certainly cracked for Robinson to make an early impact as a potential nickel or situational guy at corner. He'll need to beat out a very similar athlete in Cody Fuller who is six-foot-four and 186 pounds but Robinson is the better athlete
Over/Under Prop: 3 pass breakups (over)

TE Taylor Smith [TE #8]: 6'3", 253lbs | Barnwell, SC [IMG] | 4-star
Projected Role: The team is extremely high on Jeff Rutledge so getting him off the field is going to be tough, even for a talented guy like Smith
Over/Under Prop: 2 pancakes (over)

CB Akeem Smith [CB #5]: 5'9", 183lbs | Tallahassee, FL | 4-star
Projected Role: Similar to Robinson, Smith figures to compete right away at cornerback and potentially sliding into nickel if the team kicks Bryan Carter, as expected, to boundary corner. It's hard to see both of them beating out Fuller who Fuller likely CB4 and Smith being the fifth corner. There's also second-year corners Anthony Gunn and Travis Jones who showed flashes in the spring
Over/Under Prop: 3 pass breakups (under)

OLB James Scott [OLB #27]: 6'1", 208lbs | Tampa, FL | 3-star
Projected Role: The only three-star on campus early, Franklin is likely going to redshirt
Over/Under Prop: Redshirt (yes)

Post by **Soapy** » 09 Mar 2023, 20:47

Post by **Soapy** » 11 Mar 2023, 08:03

Spring Confidential: USF football wraps up spring practices off the heels of disappointing season
Johnny Murray -- The Tampa Bay Times Sports Columnist

For nearly three decades, USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. has had to fabricate motivation for his team as they hit the practice field under the scorching Florida sun. This spring, it required no imagination and creativity from Francois Sr. and USF's staff as the Bulls are looking to rebound from the program's second worst season under Francois Sr.

"There's definitely a sense of urgency," says quarterback Jet Millines, who is engulfed in a competitive positional battle with redshirt sophomore Jacob Venckus and true freshman Mark Cunningham, "We've got a group of guys that have been part of both a national championship and what was a bad year for us last season so we know the highs and lows, we know what it takes and what it should look like so we're working hard to get to where we need to be as a team."

Millines impressed the coaching staff throughout the spring, getting the 'start' in the spring game with what appeared to be the first team offense where his accuracy issues from last season continued, completing just five of his fourteen passes for Team Rocky who lost to Team Bulls 28 to 13.

The star of the day was Cunningham who finished the scrimmage 9-of-9 passing with 125 yards and two touchdowns whose performance became the story of the day with the new Millines struggled and Venckus had a ho-hum day as he alternated between the two teams.

Francois Sr. was quick to throw water on calling the quarterback battle off, citing that the environment for the spring game, which featured no quarterback runs or scrambles this year, favored the more prototypical pocket passer in Cunningham.

"I don't know that we saw an accurate reflection of how tight the quarterback battle has been this spring," Francois Sr. told the media afterwards, "There's days where Jet [Millines] looks like he's going to be a Heisman level guy and then there's days like today where he's struggling, no other way around it. The same can be said for Jacob [Venckus] and Cunningham so we definitely weigh those things."

USF offensive coordinator DeMarcus Bennett added that consistency throughout the summer and fall camp will ultimately decide who the starter will be at quarterback, noting that JUCO transfer Brandon Riley will also compete for a spot once he gets in at the spring.

New coaching addition making his presence felt
The most consistent thing about USF has been Malcolm Francois Sr. -- or his son for a few seasons -- coaching the receivers and Jim Michalczik coaching the offensive line which has been the case for over two decades.

Michalczik retired from coaching back in January, replaced by former Florida offensive tackle Ryan Williams.

Unlike Michalczik, Williams doesn't do a ton of cross training as Michalczik would often try out different versions of the offensive line throughout the spring with guys at different positions as his philosophy has typically been getting the best five guys and figuring out where they fit. Williams has a different approach of finding where guys fit best and then rolling with the best unit of the best guys at their best respective positions.

"We're starting to figure it out," Williams said of his unit, pleased with their play in the spring game, "A couple of guys have started to stand out and establish themselves as anchors, guys that you can build a unit around."

Williams highlighted senior left tackle Kyle Everett as the team's best offensive linemen along with juniors Woody Humphrey and Wally Bayless as those potential anchors. Humphrey, originally a guard, played at right tackle last season while Bayless, originally a tackle, replaced right guard Adam Clemons midway through the season. Humphrey is now back at right guard and Bayless at right tackle.

On the inside, it's a battle between true freshmen Kyle Jones and Jake Thompson at center, both former five-stars. They split reps with the first team throughout the spring with Jones rocking with the first team offense in the spring game. At left guard, it's been a three-way rotation between senior Dane Clay, redshirt freshman Steve Bailey and sophomore Ray Anderson.

Williams is high on both Anderson and Bailey's potential but stated that if they had to play a game tomorrow, Clay would be the starter. He intends to finalize his starting unit by the end of the first fall scrimmage.

A couple of veterans are on the move
After starting the spring at running back, William Sapp found himself with the receivers by the end of it and it's where the senior will likely play out his final season at, his father's position.

Sapp was splitting snaps with fellow senior Eric Valentine, sophomore Kellen Wright and newcomer Dominique Shelton with another five-star in Jacob Wheeler still on the way and expected to arrive in the summer. New USF receivers coach Marco Mason was able to poach the former five-star from running back's coach Anthony Montgomery on a move that Francois Sr. signed off on and is excited about.

"The two coaches met and then met with [Sapp] and it's something he's open to, we'll see how it plays out."

Sapp didn't make much of an impact in the spring game but the Bulls are in desperate need of a speed threat on the outside with the graduation of Maurice Bennett. Five-star receiver Carl Graham looks the part of a five-star at six-foot-three and 233 pounds and while he moves well for his size, he's more similar to Alston Marks as a physical receiver than a dynamic X receiver that the Bulls have always coveted. The son of Franklin Sapp, it's a move that should intrigue Bulls fans.

Another highly ranked recruit is on the move with safety Kyle Locher starting the game at WILL linebacker for the Bulls next to Noah Wester, another former highly ranked recruit that's yet to live up to the hype. Wester bounced around from inside linebacker to the outside and now he's back inside as USF's MIKE linebacker.

Locher split reps with Joey Bailey as a true freshman at strong safety with Bailey becoming the full-time starter last season before declaring for the draft. Locher figured to be the team's starter this season but with the team losing four linebackers to the draft and graduation, it's a move that made sense with Locher being a box safety.

Replacing him in the backend during the spring was a platoon of players that included former cornerbacks Cody Fuller and Anthony Gunn and safeties Fred Rankin and Joel McDonald. A former walk-on, Fuller was the Bulls dime corner in 2037 as a true freshman before not playing much in 2038. He returned to that position last season, recording 23 tackles and at six-foot-four, it's a natural switch for him and figured to be the favorite to win that starting job.

The freshmen getting plenty of run
When you're a seven win team, no spots are guaranteed and that appears to be case for the Bulls as plenty of freshman and second year players got some burn throughout the spring and in the spring game.

The aforementioned Cunningham got the start at quarterback for Team Bulls and was joined in the backfield by fellow freshman Dominique Shelton. Shelton rushed for 51 yards and had a 15-yard touchdown that was wiped off by a holding penalty in what was a solid day for him. There's not much flash there but Shelton showed signs of being a dependable, four-yards per carry type of back who can also catch the ball out of the backfield with three receptions.

At receiver, Graham rotated at one of the outside receiver spots with Tracy Brooks on the first team offense, hauling in four catches. There's not much wiggle with him or fellow five-star freshman receiver Billy Matthews but Graham has a bit more juice to him once he gets moving. Matthews struggled to make an impact on the game, finishing the day with no catches but did get a lot of run with the second team offense.

At center, true freshmen Kyles Jones started for Team Rocky and Jake Thompson started for Team Bulls with redshirt freshmen Garrett McTaggart and Steve Bailey also getting the start with the second team offense.

On defense, sophomore Ramon Hall and true freshman Marcellus Smith rotated opposite of senior defensive end Cory Smith who was very disruptive. On the second team defense, freshman Nick Brown got the start at defensive tackle, splitting time with senior Matt Langford. Brown needs to fill out some more but he has all the makings of being an elite interior defensive lineman down the line.

Three freshmen played a lot in the secondary in Akeem Smith, Charlie Robinson and Travis Jones who played on both Team Rocky and Team Bulls. When with the first team unit on Team Bulls, Smith and Robinson rotated at nickel and when on the second team defense with Team Rocky, they both played at the same time at boundary corner. Jones played nickel and dime on both units.

Redshirt freshman Anthony Gunn also got some snaps with the second team defense at safety.

Post by **Soapy** » 12 Mar 2023, 19:12

Jacob Wheeler, Brandon Riley among summer arrivals that are jumping right into the mix
Anthony Washington -- The Tampa Bay Chronicles

USF opened fall camp on Friday with its annual Gold and Bash event that was well attended by the media, season ticket holders, recruits and former players with former Heisman winner Troy Henry making an appearance.

Henry, like many others, left with a distinct impression.

"I don't know who is their best running back," Henry said of USF's crop of four five star running backs, "But [Jacob Wheeler] something special."

USF fans have been watching Wheeler dominate the high school football scene for years now, putting together back-to-back 2,000 yard seasons at Tampa Catholic before playing his senior season at rival Tampa Jesuit, where he rushed for 2,005 yards while leading Jesuit to a state championship.

Wheeler committed to the Bulls in February and didn't enroll until the summer but during those workouts, Wheeler's athleticism wowed the coaching staff and fellow players, including another former five-star running back in teammate Kellen Wright.

"He's just got a different gear than anyone of us," says Wright, who played against Wheeler two years ago when he was at IMG Academy, "And I got plenty of juice myself."

Like many other five-star running backs that have committed to the Bulls, Wheeler has drawn comparisons to Henry with his combination of top end speed, short area quickness and acceleration and he's leaning into it. Wheeler was spotted at practicing wearing Henry's number six jersey and rocking Henry's patented left arm sleeve.

Wheeler isn't the only late arrival poised to push for a starting role. JUCO transfer Brandon Riley has jumped right into what is now a four-man quarterback competition that offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach DeMarcus Bennett says will be played out throughout fall camp and decided after their final scrimmage.

Bennett added that Riley probably has the 'liveliest' arm of the bunch and is right up there with true freshman Mark Cunningham in terms of accuracy.

"He's probably the most complete of our guys right now," Bennett told the media after Riley's first week of practice with the team, "Can he catch up in terms of knowing the ins and outs of the playbook, the system, the guys around him? It's going to be a challenge and each guy has their own respective challenge so it's up to them who starts really, not me or anyone else in the coaching staff."

USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. added that he would prefer to name a starter coming out of camp but that the competition bleeding into the regular season "isn't out of the cards".

Perhaps the biggest head turner was true freshman Brandon Smith who stands out at six-foot-eight and 345 pounds. While Smith didn't enroll until the summer, the former three-star defensive tackle has been around the program since the spring as his brother, Marcellus, is also on the roster at defensive end, competing for a starting role as well.

Weight management is a big concern for Brandon as well as his health as he had two major knee surgeries in high school that caused him to miss nearly three seasons worth of games. By the third practice, Brandon was already working with the second team unit, rotating with sophomore Brent Lawrence and fellow true freshman Nick Brown.

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Mar 2023, 08:56

Tampa Bay is loaded with talent, will USF be able to capitalize once more for a top class?
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider

USF finished third ranked in recruiting last season despite landing six five stars, the most in the nation by a landslide. They'll be looking to reclaim the title of the nation's top recruiting class with their second recruiting cycle off probation and a full slate of scholarships available.

It starts with five-star receiver Scott Price out of Tampa that is the fifth ranked athlete in the country this cycle, capable of playing on either side of the ball at the next level. The 'state' of Tampa Bay was kind to USF last season, landing several top prospects in the local area in five-star running back Jacob Wheeler, four-star defensive end Marcellus Smith, three-star defensive tackle Brandon Smith and three-star linebacker James Scott.

Tampa Bay is loaded with talent this cycle as well with Price leading the charge along with four-star tight end Kris Miller, four-star cornerbacks Anthony Merritt and Ernest Jones, four-star defensive end James Foster and even four-star cornerback Ronald Berry out of Bradenton which is about an hour away from the Tampa area.

2041 USF Recruiting Class

2041 USF Recruiting Board
WR Scott Price [ATH #5]: 6'3", 211lbs | Tampa, FL | 5-star | USF, Florida, Miami, Florida State, Alabama
WR Trey Arnold [WR #2]: 5'11", 171lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Miami, Florida State, USF, Florida, Ole Miss
DT Shawn Thomas [DT #1]: 6'1", 291lbs | Mount Olive, NC | 5-star | USF, Purdue, BYU, Tennessee, Alabama
S Julian Harrell [S #2]: 6'2", 179lbs | Fort Lee, VA [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Purdue, BYU, Texas, Tennessee
TE Kris Miller [TE #2]: 6'1", 238lbs | St. Petersburg, FL | 4-star | Michigan State, Stanford, USF, Florida State
ILB Damon Hill [ILB #3]: 6'0", 238lbs | Greater Northdale, FL | 4-star | Florida State, UCF, Florida Atlantic, UAB, USF
CB Ernest Jones [CB #3]: 6'1", 183lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | Florida, Florida State, Miami, USF, Alabama
S Kevin Malloy [S #3]: 6'2", 193lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | Florida State, Florida, USF, Miami
DE James Foster [DE #6]: 6'3", 248lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Toledo, Stanford, Miami University
CB Ronald Berry [CB #6]: 5'9", 172lbs | Bradenton, FL [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Ole Miss
OLB Cory Manson [OLB #9]: 5'11", 220lbs | Daphne, AL | 4-star | USF, Rutgers, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech
G Corey Lee [G #9]: 6'1", 301lbs | Punta Gorda, FL [IMG] | 4-star | Miami, USF, Florida, Ole Miss
DE Kyle Wood [DE #12]: 6'3", 235lbs | Niceview, FL [IMG] | 4-star | USF, LSU, Florida, Michigan State, Texas
ILB Ryan Robinson [ILB #20]: 6'0", 230lbs | Port St. Lucie, FL | 3-star | NC State, Kansas State, Wisconsin, Illinois, USF
OLB Charles Moore [OLB #34]: 6'1", 242lbs | Orlando, FL | 3-star | USF, Southern Miss, Miami, Florida
TE Earl May [FB #2]: 5'10", 236lbs | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3-star | USF, Stanford, Virginia Tech, BYU

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Mar 2023, 09:11

USF's No. 1 jersey stays in the receiver's room as Tampa native Joseph Moses next in line to wear it
Cooper Byrd -- Dynasty Sports Staff Writer

USF receiver Joseph Moses is the next in line to wear the coveted No. 1 jersey, USF announced on Tuesday.

Moses, who previously wore No. 81, spent the past few seasons under the mentorship of receiver Maurice Bennett who is also from Tampa and wore the number last. Bennett led the team in all receiving categories last season, narrowly edging out Moses for receptions with two more.

The No. 1 jersey is traditionally given to the team’s best player and leader. Despite the offenses struggles at time, Moses had his best season as a Bull last year, catching sixty passes for 845 yards and five touchdowns.

“I came to USF to eventually earn the honor to wear this number,” Moses said in a press release. “I understand that this is not a destination but the start of the journey to take my game to the next level, both on the field and off of it.”

Moses was the nation's top ranked recruit coming out of high school three seasons ago.

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Mar 2023, 10:40

How will USF respond from down-year after two decades of consistency?
Adriana Castillo -- usfwire.usatoday.com

USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. has done a lot of things in his twenty-eight seasons at USF, he's only twice failed to win at least nine games during his tenure with the Bulls, once during his first season with USF and last season where the Bulls went from national champions to struggling to win seven games, needing a regular season finale again a two-win UCF team to do so.

The Bulls are primed to be one of the nation's turnaround story with an already talented roster from last year that is now more seasoned, a rejuvenated coaching staff that features some young, fresh talent along with the nation's third ranked recruiting class that had six five-stars on there.

Ten Best USF Players
1. CB K.J. Waters, Sophomore
2. CB Bryan Carter, Sophomore
3. WR Joseph Moses, Junior
4. DE Cory Smith, Senior
5. S Michael Robinson, Sophomore
6. LT Kyle Everett, Junior
7. WR Alston Marks, Junior
8. HB Kellen Wright, Sophomore
9. OLB E.J. Young, Sophomore
10. WR William Sapp, Senior

Schedule
Aug. 25 vs. LSU
Sep. 1 at #23 Florida
Sep. 8 vs. #17 Southern Mississippi (night game)
Sep. 15 at #3 Alabama
Sep. 22 vs. Kansas State
Sep. 29 at #9 Florida State (night game)
Oct. 6 at #5 Purdue
OPEN
Oct. 20 vs. #15 Georgia Tech (homecoming)
Oct. 27 at #25 Tennessee (night game)
OPEN
Nov. 11 at #1 Penn State
Nov. 17 vs. Miami (night game)
Nov. 23 vs. UCF (Senior Night)

Preseason All-Americans
CB Bryan Carter, Junior (first team)

Preseason All-Champions Division
DE Cory Smith, Senior (first team)
CB Bryan Carter, Junior (first team)
S Michael Robinson, Junior (first team)
HB Eric Valentine, Senior (second Team)
CB K.J. Waters, Junior (second Team)

What to watch for on offense: The Bulls running game should look different this season with new offensive line coach Ryan Williams and a new running back's coach in Anthony Montgomery. They also added five-star running backs Jacob Wheeler and Dominique Shelton to a running back room that already included five-stars Eric Valentine and Kellen Wright with former five-star William Sapp moving to receiver.

Whatever happens at quarterback, USF needs to improve their running game from last season and certainly took the steps over the offseason to do so.

What to watch for on defense: USF lost its top four linebackers to the draft or graduation, leaving E.J. Young (29 tackles) as the sole returner that played a significant role last season. Adrian Bolden, a former safety, is making the transition from WILL linebacker on sub packages to a full-time starter at SAM linebacker.

Inside, it's two new starters in another former safety in Kyle Locher at WILL and former four-star recruit Noah Wester at MIKE whose made a grand total of thirteen tackles in two seasons at USF.

The team will be far better if... the quarterback position is solidified. Both Jet Millines and Jacob Venckus showed flashes last season but were far from consistent with Venckus not being able to do much when things break down around him and Millines struggling mightily with accuracy issues. The Bulls added a talented arm to their arsenal in true freshman Mark Cunningham along with a JUCO addition in Brandon Riley with the hope of finding the answer to their quarterback question.

The Schedule: It's called the Champions Division for a reason and the Bulls will have their hands full with a murderers row to start the season that includes trips to Gainesville, Tuscaloosa, Tallahassee and West Lafayette with four of their six road games happening in the first six weeks of the season.

The back end is a bit more favorable but includes a November trip to Penn State that could potentially be in cold weather conditions against the preseason favorites to win the whole thing.

Best offensive player: It's a three-way race between junior receivers Alston Marks, Joseph Moses and left tackle Kyle Everett. Everett is about to start at left tackle for his fourth season, an impressive feat, while Marks and Moses are two former five-stars whose production could near the 1,000-yard mark with consistent quarterback play.

Best defensive player: The strength of USF is in its secondary, even with the loss of Julius Hughes and Joey Bailey. K.J. Waters and Bryan Carter are the two top corners and arguably the best players on the entire roster.

Key players to a successful season: With so much of the focus being at quarterback, throwing a bit of a wild card here and going to focus on the interior of the offensive line. The aforementioned Everett and Wally Bayless are the bookend tackles with plenty of experience between them.

The Bulls have another experienced member of the offensive line in Woody Humphrey that figures to start at one of the guard spots, leaving Dane Clay, Steve Bailey, Ray Anderson and true freshmen Kyle Jones and Jake Thompson to compete for the last two remaining spots. If they can sure up that offensive line, it will improve the running attack and give USF's offense a much needed boost from last season.

On defense, it's Locher and Wester as they will likely determine just how good this defense can be. The counting numbers weren't great by the end of the year but a lot of that had to do with the struggles of the offense as when the offense was clicking, it was on pace to be a top twenty five unit. They return a lot of the talent on that defense except at linebacker where Locher and Wester will need to solidify that unit.

The season will be a success if...USF is in the conversation for an at-large bid to make the playoffs.

Key game: The three game stretch of at Florida, at home against Southern Miss and back on the road against Alabama will give USF the perfect test against a team they're slightly better than in Florida but on the road, a home game against an inferior team that is capable of beating them and then a team that's better than them and on the road. If they manage to split that series 2-1, things are looking.

Game by Game Predictions
Aug. 25 vs. LSU: W
Sep. 1 at #23 Florida: W
Sep. 8 vs. #17 Southern Mississippi: W
Sep. 15 at #3 Alabama: L
Sep. 22 vs. Kansas State: W
Sep. 29 at #9 Florida State (night game): W
Oct. 6 at #5 Purdue: L
OPEN
Oct. 20 vs. #15 Georgia Tech (homecoming): W
Oct. 27 at #25 Tennessee (night game): W
OPEN
Nov. 11 at #1 Penn State: L
Nov. 17 vs. Miami (night game): W
Nov. 23 vs. UCF (Senior Night): W

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Mar 2023, 11:53

Tampa Jesuit WR Scott Price commits to Bulls as USF keeps streak alive
Eddie Fernandez -- 247 Sports USF Insider

Five-star receiver Scott Price has been a priority for the University of South Florida since he stepped on the field at Tampa Jesuit and now the five-star receiver is returning the favor, committing to the Bulls over offers from Florida, Miami, Florida State, Alabama and others.

The fifth ranked athlete in the class with the ability to play at either corner or receiver, Price splashed onto the scene as a freshman with twelve total touchdowns, including three on defense. Price does a little bit of everything for the Tigers and will even play some running back this season with the departure of current USF running back Jacob Wheeler.

As a prospect, Price is a bit similar to Carl Graham in terms of their versatility with Price not having Graham's thick frame and being a being a bit more polished as a receiver than Graham was at this point last year. While some schools like Price at defensive back at the next level, Price made it clear he's coming to USF to be the next great receiver.

"There's been a ton of great guys over the years at receiver," Price said at his commitment ceremony, "I want to be the next guy, from the city, wearing that number one jersey and winning us another national championship."

Price cited his close relationship with Wheeler as 'icing' on the cake and that he's been in constant communication with former USF receiver Maurice Bennett and current USF receiver Joseph Moses for the past two seasons, working out together last summer and this spring.

2041 USF Recruiting Class
WR Scott Price [ATH #5]: 6'3", 211lbs | Tampa, FL | 5-star | 4.44 40-yd dash, 310 Bench Press Max, 270 Squat Max

2041 USF Recruiting Board
WR Trey Arnold [WR #2]: 5'11", 171lbs | Miami, FL | 5-star | Miami, Florida State, USF, Florida, Ole Miss
DT Shawn Thomas [DT #1]: 6'1", 291lbs | Mount Olive, NC | 5-star | USF, Purdue, BYU, Tennessee, Alabama
S Julian Harrell [S #2]: 6'2", 179lbs | Fort Lee, VA [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Purdue, BYU, Texas, Tennessee
TE Kris Miller [TE #2]: 6'1", 238lbs | St. Petersburg, FL | 4-star | Michigan State, Stanford, USF, Florida State
ILB Damon Hill [ILB #3]: 6'0", 238lbs | Greater Northdale, FL | 4-star | Florida State, UCF, Florida Atlantic, UAB, USF
CB Ernest Jones [CB #3]: 6'1", 183lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | Florida, Florida State, Miami, USF, Alabama
S Kevin Malloy [S #3]: 6'2", 193lbs | Orlando, FL | 4-star | Florida State, Florida, USF, Miami
DE James Foster [DE #6]: 6'3", 248lbs | Tampa, FL | 4-star | USF, Toledo, Stanford, Miami University
CB Ronald Berry [CB #6]: 5'9", 172lbs | Bradenton, FL [IMG] | 4-star | USF, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Ole Miss
OLB Cory Manson [OLB #9]: 5'11", 220lbs | Daphne, AL | 4-star | USF, Rutgers, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech
G Corey Lee [G #9]: 6'1", 301lbs | Punta Gorda, FL [IMG] | 4-star | Miami, USF, Florida, Ole Miss
DE Kyle Wood [DE #12]: 6'3", 235lbs | Niceview, FL [IMG] | 4-star | USF, LSU, Florida, Michigan State, Texas
ILB Ryan Robinson [ILB #20]: 6'0", 230lbs | Port St. Lucie, FL | 3-star | NC State, Kansas State, Wisconsin, Illinois, USF
OLB Charles Moore [OLB #34]: 6'1", 242lbs | Orlando, FL | 3-star | USF, Southern Miss, Miami, Florida
TE Earl May [FB #2]: 5'10", 236lbs | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3-star | USF, Stanford, Virginia Tech, BYU

Post by **Soapy** » 13 Mar 2023, 14:47

Handicapping the positional battles as the season opener against LSU nears
Johnny Murray -- The Tampa Bay Times Sports Columnist

USF head coach Malcolm Francois Sr. was quick to describe coming off a seven-win season as a welcomed and unique opportunity to the 2040 team.

"The same way last year's team didn't win a national championship, this year's team hasn't lost those games from last year. It doesn't automatically translate year to year," Francois Sr. spoke to the media on Saturday following the completion of the team's second fall scrimmage, "It's definitely something different that we haven't had to deal with before so its something that we certainly didn't expect but it's here now and it'll be a pretty cool opportunity for those guys and for us as a coaching staff to turn this thing around, I don't believe in rebuilding years."

Francois Sr. and the rest of the coaching staff have been positive about the team's approach to a more competitive environment from last season which is ironically boosted by last year's disappointing season. With just one more fall scrimmage on the docket before the team begins to prepare for LSU, now is the perfect time to take a look at the positional battles and how they're shaping up.

Starting Quarterback
The Veteran Options
#11 Jet Millines, Junior | 6'3", 226lbs | 88 spd, 90 acc, 97 awr, 88 thp, 81 tha, 92 elu, 60 car
Career Stats: 243 of 368, 3089 yards, 22 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, sacked 17 times, 149.2 QB rating, 102 carries, 655 yards, 8 touchdowns, 6 fumbles
Analysis: Perhaps the front runner to win the starting job, no one else in the QB room has had the highs that Millines has experienced from closing the national championship game as a true freshman to throwing for over four hundred yards against rival UCF in the regular season finale.

The biggest problem with Millines is his accuracy so while he might have the highest potential in the room by far, he also has the lowest floor because he made routine, wide open passes look difficult last season, forcing the team into unfavorable down and distance scenarios that was compounded by a weak running game.

The feedback from spring had been positive regarding Millines' accuracy but in the two scrimmages so far, Millines has reportedly been a bit more erratic. In the spring game, the structure of the spring game did not feature any quarterback runs so it seems that when Millines can focus in on just being a passer, he performs a bit better but when asked to do both, the passing greatly suffers.
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#13 Jacob Venckus, Rs Sophomore | 6'2", 217lbs | 65 spd, 63 acc, 99 awr, 84 thp, 77 tha, 62 elu, 49 car
Career Stats: 104 of 157, 1085 yards, 8 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, sacked 4 times, 137.3 QB rating, 14 carries, 23 yards
Analysis: Venckus came out of nowhere to deliver some surprising and promising performances last year in replacement of Millines before the struggles around him eventually caught up to him.

Venckus doesn't have any outstanding physical attributes but he knows where he wants to go with the ball and is a decisive thrower. He simply didn't have enough talent around him on the offensive line to aid him as he's not very effective when pressured or asked to operate outside of the offense. While his accuracy was an improvement early in his appearances last season, by the end of it, he struggled as well with being accurate on routine throws and was eventually benched in back to back games.

Throughout the spring, he's been losing ground to Mark Cunningham in terms of first and second team reps and in the fall, it seems he's closer to Brandon Riley than Millines or Cunningham but remains a potential option.
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The Veteran Options
#19 Brandon Riley, Junior | 5'11", 185lbs | 75 spd, 82 acc, 52 awr, 95 thp, 82 tha, 70 elu, 67 car
Analysis: Maybe the biggest wildcard of the bunch, Riley's personality has been very endearing to his teammates in the short time that he was there. The JUCO transfer is one of the older players on the roster at 21 and has already established a bit of a leadership role within the team, helping organize team workouts and throwing sessions over the summer.

Riley might have the best arm talent of the bunch in terms of combination of arm strength and ball placement. He's got some moxie and creativity to his game, a lot more than Cunningham or Venckus but not as electric as Millines. Even at his smaller stature, Riley isn't afraid to lower his shoulder and welcomes contact when you watch his tape from both high school and the junior college level.

The biggest question for Riley will be the playbook as he wasn't on campus until the summer and can at times look lost in the offense both in practice and during the scrimmages. You also have to factor the political aspect of starting Riley, a JUCO transfer with two years of eligibility left, and what that will do to the rest of the roster when it comes to the transfer portal.
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#12 Mark Cunningham, Freshman | 6'3", 211lbs | 77 spd, 77 acc, 63 awr, 83 thp, 95 tha
Analysis: Francois Sr. has often compared Cunningham to another former Georgia quarterback for the Bulls in Grant Oliver and they are similar players with impressive accuracy and similar build.

Oliver might have a stronger arm than Cunningham and Cunningham is the better runner but those are positive signs and words for Cunningham as Francois Sr. holds Oliver in high esteem as he helped turned the program into the consistent winner that it ended up being.

The list of true freshman to start at quarterback for the Bulls under Francois Sr. is short and prestigious in Michael Harrell (eventual national championship win) and Jeff Jones (ditto) with Jones breaking several school records and NCAA records during that freshman season as well.

Feature Running Back
The Spark Plugs
#3 Kellen Wright, Sophomore | 5'8", 194lbs | 96 spd, 97 acc, 93 agility, 67 car, 79 btk, 94 elu, 65 cth
Career Stats: 102 carries, 523 yards, 8 touchdowns, 2 rushes of over 20 yards, 0 broken tackles, 2 fumbles, 26 receptions, 153 yards, 0 drops
Analysis: Even at five-foot-eight, Wright has all of the makings and physical tool of an every down back in the Champions Division and eventually the NFL.

The former five-star averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 40.2 yards per game last season, leading the team in both categories at the position and did so behind a struggling offensive line and sharing carries with two other veteran running backs. What does it look like if Wright is the lead and feature back?

Like his predecessor, running back's coach Anthony Montgomery was a spell back during his tenure at USF but unlike Miller, Montgomery seems to be hinting towards finding a definitive starter instead of going by committee like last season. If that's the case, no other running back on the roster checks all the boxes quite like Wright who can run for power, get to the edge in a foot race and also catch the ball out of the backfield.
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#6 Jacob Wheeler, Freshman | 5'10", 180lbs | 96 spd, 96 acc, 93 agility, 64 car, 77 btk, 94 elu, 66 cth
Analysis: Wright and Wheeler are very similar players with Wright being a bit more stocky than Wheeler.

If Wheeler had been here during the spring, it might be his job already as he really impressed the coaching staff during the summer, so much so that he was already splitting reps with the first team offense during the very first practice.

Deciding between Wheeler and Wright is deciding between a chicken sandwich or a sandwich with chicken.
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The Safe Options
#26 Eric Valentine, Senior | 5'9", 232lbs | 88 ovr, 97 acc, 87 agility, 97 btk, 89 car, 99 trk, 79 elu, 71 cth
Career Stats: 163 carries, 672 yards, 21 touchdowns, 3 rushes of more than 20 yards, 5 broken tackles, 2 fumbles, 42 receptions, 303 yards, drop
Analysis: No one in the room has played more college football than Valentine and he's got plenty of upside as well as a former five-star prospect.

During his tenure, Valentine has primarily been a goal-line option before showing some more versatility last year, catching 24 passes out of the backfield and surprisingly led the team with three rushes of over twenty yards.

At 232 pounds, he's a physical runner that doesn't do a lot of dancing and just hits the role, improving his yards per carry from 3.7 in his first two seasons to 4.7 last year. If the Bulls running game is looking to be more north and south this year, Valentine might be the man for them.
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#36 Dominique Shelton, Freshman | 6'0", 195lbs | 87 spd, 84 acc, 80 agility, 78 car, 79 btk, 85 elu, 67 cth
Analysis: There isn't a lot of mystery to Shelton's game as he's going to hit the gap that he's intended to hit, hit it hard and pick up positive yards.

Shelton is a coaches' dream in terms of personality, work ethic and approach to the game but he is limited physically and it shows when you look at his testing and GPS numbers compared to Wright, Wheeler and even Valentine.

Starting Z Receiver
The Speed Options
#4 William Sapp, Senior | 5'11", 195lbs | 96 spd, 95 acc, 91 agility, 65 cth, 77 route, 73 cit, 73 spc, 75 jmp, 92 elu
Career Stats: 55 receptions, 368 yards, touchdown (as a running back)
Analysis: Before making the switch to receiver, Sapp displayed receiver skills at running back, catching 55 passes out of the backfield in two seasons including 32 last season with just two drops.

A one-cut running back, Sapp has the juice and top end speed to be a very formidable outside receiver at the next level if he can work on the finer things of being a receiver. Or he can not and be like his father, a deadly deep threat that runs just a few routes but does it at an elite level. The biggest question is if this offense is suited for his skill set with an offensive line that can give Sapp time to get down the field and a quarterback that can get him the ball?
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#82 Tracy Brooks, Sophomore | 6'4", 215lbs | 94 speed, 85 acc, 74 agility, 62 cth, 92 route, 81 cit, 73 spc, 79 jmp, 52 elu
Career Stats: 6 receptions, 67 yards, touchdown
Analysis: If you wanted to build a Z receiver in the lab, it'll look like Brooks at six-foot-four with elite top end speed.

Brooks doesn't always play fast however and can be slow coming out of his breaks. He got the start in the bowl game and made no impact which likely led to the team exploring other options at Z in the first place as it was teeing up to be his job to lose after he got that start in the bowl game.
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The Possession Guys
#7 Cal Graham, Freshman | 6'3", 233lbs | 87 spd, 92 acc, 79 agility, 75 cth, 82 route, 70 cit, 71 spc, 79 jmp, 54 elu
Analysis: Graham is most fun to watch and effective with the ball in hands and long term, he might be more of a slot receiver similar to Joseph Moses as a big slot that can create space by sealing off defenders and working that middle of the field.

His best route to playing time, however, as a freshman is on the outside and he showed flashes throughout the spring with his strong hands and better than expected route running and understanding of the game. If the Bulls want a more explosive offense, Graham might not be the answer but if they want a more consistent offense, he just might be.
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#88 Brooks Coe, Sophomore | 6'4", 181lbs | 87 spd, 96 acc, 64 agility, 75 cth, 89 route, 66 cit, 66 spc, 81 jmp, 54 elu
Career Stats: 29 receptions, 385 yards, 3 touchdowns, 4 drops
Analysis: The fourth receiver last year, Coe quietly put together a solid freshman season coming out of the slot with 29 catches for 385 yards and three touchdowns.

Coe does a great job of creating separation at the top of his routes and he might be the best route runner on the entire team. He struggled at times with drops last season but has shown improvements in the spring and so far this fall. There isn't a ton of wiggle or speed in his game which is the only downside but among the bunch, he's the most proven.

Starting Left Guard
The Senior
#65 Dane Clay, Rs Senior | 6'3", 339lbs | 85 pbk, 86 rbk, 88 str, 86 impact blocking, 90 acc
Career Stats: None
Analysis: Since coming in as a three-star offensive tackle, Clay has bounced around as a backup at a few places before landing at left guard where he's competing for the final starting spot available according to offensive line coach Ryan Williams. Williams announced on Saturday that the unit is solidified except for left guard, stating that the next ten days will decide the starter.

Clay is a well rounded offensive lineman that has gone through five (FIVE!) off-seasons now with some of the best OL coaches in the business so from a technique standpoint, he might be as good as it gets.
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The Young Guys
#73 Steve Bailey, Rs Freshman | 6'5", 320lbs | 87 pbk, 80 rbk, 83 str, 82 impact blocking, 90 acc
Analysis: Bailey looks exactly how you want your offensive line to look, whether as an inside guy or even a tackle. The coaching staff is extremely high on him and he'll eventually be a starter at some point down the line but he needs a little more edge to him and to improve his strength as Brandon Smith has had his way with him at times at practice.
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#75 Ray Anderson, Sophomore | 6'3", 273lbs | 91 pbk, 79 rbk, 89 str, 80 impact blocking, 90 acc
Career Stats: No stats
Analysis: The plan is to eventually have Bailey and Anderson, who were part of the same class, be the combo guards but for now, Anderson might be good enough to be the team's starting left guard, beating out Bailey and Clay.

He's a bit undersized but doesn't play like it and has one of the better pass sets on the team. Unlike Bailey, he got to travel with the team last season and was on the two-deep roster even though he didn't play which gives a bit of an indication that the coaching staff might think he's more ready than Bailey.

Starting Safety
The Technicians
#30 Fred Rankin, Rs Junior | 5'11", 190lbs | 89 spd, 94 acc, 65 awr, 64 tkl, 82 mcv, 89 zcv, 86 prc, 90 pursuit
Career Stats: None
Analysis: A former corner, Rankin has been training at safety for a few years now and has been having a very good fall camp, perhaps the best of the group. He's not the athlete that some of the others are and doesn't wow you in any one area but he's an intriguing option.
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#25 Anthony Gunn, Rs Freshman | 6'1", 183lbs | 95 spd, 85 acc, 46 awr, 66 tkl, 83 mcv, 89 zcv, 88 prc, 81 pursuit
Analysis: Another former corner, Gunn took advantage of his redshirt season and those freshmen scrimmages on Sundays to make a strong impression on the coaching staff, eventually earning reps with the second team in the spring and eventually got into the rotation with the first team defense.

He's still a bit light at 183 pounds and is still learning the position but he's a solid option.
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The Space Eaters
#23 Cody Fuller, Senior | 6'4", 190lbs | 90 spd, 88 acc, 85 awr, 64 tkl, 95 mcv, 86 zcv, 83 prc, 82 pursuit
Career Stats: 54 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, interception, 2 pass breakups
Analysis: The only guy in the room that's seen on the field when it mattered -- even if its at another position -- Fuller has the edge in terms of experience and also physical attributes with his combination of size and speed. If he can add some more physicality to his game, he'll be a damn good safety at this level and the next.
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#35 Joel McDonald, Rs Junior | 5'11", 184lbs | 91 spd, 94 acc, 53 awr, 61 tkl, 87 mcv, 86 zcv, 85 prc, 82 pursuit
Career Stats: 1 tackle
Analysis: A former walk-on, McDonald has worked his way up to being on the two-deep and can now legitimately challenge for a starting spot. He has his work cut out for him but he has the speed and explosiveness to compete for that job.

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